


The Story of Todd: Behind the Scenes of Babylon.

by Nicolle_Midnight



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 06:57:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3841414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicolle_Midnight/pseuds/Nicolle_Midnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary of the story: Todd is only a shadow behind the scenes at Babylon, but there is much more when you can see him in a new light.</p>
<p>I thank my Beta, Predec2, for helping me with another story.<br/>Thanks to Annie-Eliza for the plot bunny for this story.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: QAF and its characters do not belong to me (unfortunately), I just borrowed caught occasionally to my stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Story of Todd: Behind the Scenes of Babylon.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is my contribution to the challenge made by Annie Eliza at the Live Journal community PlotorClaim : http://plotorclaim.livejournal.com  
> The challenge was as follows:  
> Theme: The life of Todd ( "Hey, Todd! How's it going?") involves more than just fucking, believe it or not.  
> Characters needed: Todd  
> Length: 1000 or more words  
> Necessary objects: a photograph, a fork, and whiskey.
> 
> _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
> Chapter One: Hey, Todd! How's it going?  
> Chapter Outline: Sometimes it takes a tragedy for us to see the light.

Dr. Donald Walker questioned the paramedics about the young man who had just arrived at the emergency room of Allegheny General Hospital, having immediately noticed the wide band of gauze wrapped around his head that was now shaded crimson by the young man’s blood. 

"What have we got?" he asked. Dr. Walter noticed the tension radiating from the two paramedics. He had known them well, especially Constance, for a long time now, and the strained expressions he observed on both of their experienced, professional faces served as a warning sign that the young man’s situation was very grave. 

“Caucasian male, 18 years old, severe head injury allegedly caused by a baseball bat. Subject sustained major bleeding that is presently under control. He suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way here, but was successfully resuscitated. He’s had an IV drip of adrenaline administered. Pulse is thready and weak, and he’s been on continuous O2 since being transported. Patient is allergic to several drugs; we have a list provided by his companion.” 

Dr. Walker listened carefully to the explanations being given by Roger, the other paramedic. As he had already surmised, the young man’s physical state was definitely quite precarious. He felt a lump rise in his throat as he tried to imagine what this young man might have done to warrant someone attacking him in the head with a baseball bat. God knows he already knew how people could be cruel to others. He had endured his own experience to remind him of that very fact, but 13 years had passed since he had been in a similar position. Sadly, however, he feared that things had not changed much.

The doctor began to examine the young man. Now was not the time to lament the injustices of the world; now was the time to save a life. He placed the stethoscope against the pale boy's chest, and realized that his condition was getting worse. His vital signs were failing, and his body was going into shock.

"His lungs are failing, and there is a drop in pulse. Prepare another dose of adrenaline,” he barked out an order to his staff.

Here he was in charge. Lives depended on him and his decisions. He had no options. He could not fail. The price to pay for his failure was much too high.

"Yes, Doctor.” Sam Jones, one of the nurses on his team, hastened to fulfill what he had asked of her.

“His pulse is weakening!” one of the other nurses called out grimly in warning. “We’re losing him!” 

"Hurry up, damn it, and inject the adrenalin!” the doctor commanded. He knew from what the paramedic had told him earlier that he had already gone into cardiac arrest in the ambulance. If they had to resuscitate him again, it would be extremely hard on this boy. 

Suddenly, the sound from the heart monitor stopped, and a straight line danced across the screen. 

"Crash cart, now!" Dr. Walker called out as a sense of urgency filled the room. 

Nurse Jones wheeled the cart containing the defibrillator over and quickly handed him the paddles as she adjusted the machine to the correct voltage. 

"Gel," Dr. Walker ordered as he lifted the paddles so Nurse Roberts could squirt transparent gel on them. He rubbed them together, spreading the substance evenly, as the whistle on the machine confirmed that he had reached the necessary point.

"Clear! " He shouted before placing the paddles against the immobile chest of the young man. The body lurched as the shock was administered; the line on the heart monitor briefly seemed to flicker to life before it became straight again.

Dr. Walker pursed his lips together in frustration. This was not good. He was losing the patient. He was still a boy, but someone had decided he did not deserve to live. “No,” he whispered to himself as he studied the silent form before him. He would not accept that; he was going to fight to save this one. 

"Again!" He demanded. A few seconds later, the defibrillator whistled once more, indicating it was recharged properly. 

"Clear!" The doctor repeated the process by placing the paddles on the boy's chest and administered the shock. The body shuddered as he held his breath, waiting....waiting...until – at last – the heart monitor began to beep again in a steady rhythm. 

Sighing in relief, the doctor verified what everyone already knew. "He's back!" He exclaimed. As he handed the paddles back to the nurse and she wheeled the cart out of the way, he studied the still form lying before him. “That’s it,” he told him quietly but firmly. “Don’t let them fucking beat you." His own heart skipped a beat then as he had a better chance to study his patient, and he realized for the first time that he knew this kid. It was Justin Taylor. The recently appointed King of Babylon; the twink of Brian Kinney. “My God,” he whispered in shock. What the hell had happened? 

Dr. Donald Todd Walker recalled the first time he had laid eyes on this same boy as he studied the broken body in front of him. This boy – this person who had radiated such a golden, bright aura whenever he strode into Babylon to dance with Brian and his friends in tow – looked so different right now than he normally did. The Justin Taylor he was used to seeing always had such a huge smile on his face, and was so happy and full of life; so much so that he almost appeared to glow. Walker – Todd to his friends who knew him well – remembered perfectly the extremely sensual, gyrating pole dance that Justin had performed for the King of Babylon competition; the one that had earned him his royal crown approximately two weeks ago. It was a memorable performance, one that had further aroused the desire of all the men who had had the privilege of witnessing it. He quietly studied his patient, wondering who, then, could have done such a thing to this sweet, smiling boy who always went out of his way to be kind to everyone.

"Doctor, the patient seems to be stabilized. Is it okay to prep him for surgery now?” Nurse Roberts inquired softly beside him as she awaited his orders.

Todd nodded, knowing time was critical to his patient’s survival, and surgery was needed immediately. “Yes. Thanks, Helen. Please notify Dr. Cooper that the patient seems to be strong enough now for surgery.” As the nurse nodded back at him and turned to leave, he felt just a bit of the previous numbness dissipating momentarily, but he knw Justin was not out of the woods yet. 

"You will talk to the family?" Helen asked as he turned around briefly to face her, unaware she was still standing there."The family is waiting for word about his condition.

He peered over at her in surprise. “The family is out in the waiting room?” 

Helen confirmed the information with a nod. 

Glancing back at his severely injured patient, he fought for professional control. He was good at what he did; he had saved countless lives over the years since he had first started practicing here at the ER. And he had counseled numerous families on the condition of their loved ones. But it still didn’t make it any easier to have to advise a family that their loved one was in danger of dying from his injuries. As much satisfaction and fulfillment he found in his job, he would never get used to that part of it. 

He cleared his throat, noticing the nurse silently waiting for a response. "Yes. I'll talk to them. Thank you, Helen. And...thank the staff for a job well done,” he told her, as he reached out to briefly touch her shoulder and give it a squeeze. He and Helen had started here at the hospital at approximately the same time, and they had quickly developed a bond between them, one that existed to this day. He had grown to respect both her wisdom and her competence. Giving her a tired smile, he turned to leave the examination cubicle as he headed down the garishly lit hallway toward the exit. 

As he opened the doors leading into the waiting room area, he was surprised to see Brian Kinney sitting in a hard, plastic chair, covered in blood, with a similiar bloody scarf around his neck, visibly shaken and being supported by Michael Novotny. He did not expect to see the two friends there. The fact that Brian Kinney was here – and that his attire seemed to complement the clothes that his patient had been wearing – made him wonder just what their relationship truly was; this did not appear to be a casual relationship that he had come to expect from the so-called Stud of Liberty Avenue. 

 

He recalled the clothes Justin had been wearing when he had been brought in by the paramedics. The boy was wearing a tuxedo, and so was Brian. The paramedics had told him that someone had assaulted Justin with a baseball bat to the head, and from the crumpled-looking, bloody tuxedo that Kinney was presently wearing, it appears that he had been there when it had happened.

He needed to talk to Brian to inform him about Justin’s conditon, and he also needed to know more about what had happened. Was Justin also the victim of a hate crime, much like he had been more than a decade ago? He also knew the police would no doubt be questioning him about the circumstances surrounding his patient’s injuries, and he did not like to be uninformed in those situations. 

"Brian ... Michael ..." He called out quietly to the two men. The reaction he received from each of them was quite different. While Brian continued to sit there immobile in a near catatonic state, Michael jumped up instantly as he peered over at him with obvious surprise.

"Todd? What are YOU doing here?"

It was always like that when someone who knew him from Babylon encountered him in his work. Here he was a doctor, a person of authority, while in the club’s backroom he was the most subservient of all its visitors, the one always willing to take it up the ass for anyone who demanded it. The irony of his present situation was not lost on him as he gazed down at the broken shell of a man who always commanded such respect at Babylon and was the consummate top, while he was normally the submissive one. For this moment, in an odd twist of fate, their roles appeared to be reversed. It was also ironic as well as tragic that once again young Justin Taylor had managed to reunite two men who represented different sides of the same coin; this time, however, it was under the most unfortunate of circumstances.

Walking over to them, he explained, "I'm a doctor here, Michael. Dr. Walker.” He ignored his look of astonishment as he directed his next comments toward Brian. “I’m the attending physician for Justin,” he explained. “It was touch and go for a while, but his condition is stablized enough now that we can proceed with surgery. As soon as it’s concluded, I’ll come back out and provide you with an update.” 

"H-He WILL be all right?" Michael inquired hesitantly, the anxiousness clearly heard in his voice. 

Todd hesitated. How do you tell someone that their loved one – their son, their parents, their frend – might never be the same again, that they might not even see him again at all? 

In response to Michael’s question, Brian at last seemed to emerge from his stupor as he raised his head and peered up at Todd, his face awash with shed tears. The expression on his face caused Todd to shudder. He had never seen such pain and agony clearly etched on anyone’s face before. 

But he was not going to lie or mislead his friends as he replied, “Hard to tell for now. It’s going to depend upon how he comes out of surgery. But he’s in very good hands,” he added in reassurance as he focused his attention on Brian. “Dr Cooper is the best neurosurgeon we have, and Justin has youth and strength in his favor as well.” His eyes widened when Brian abruptly rose from his chair, almost causing it to topple, his eyes flashing with fury.

"This is not a fucking game of Russian Roulette!” he snapped “It’s his fucking life! You have to fix him and put him back the way he was!” All of a sudden, he found himself pushed roughly against the wall as everyone else in the waiting room stared over at the commotion.

“Brian!” Michael shouted urgently in fear as he and two male nurses hurriedly separated the two of them. “This isn’t the time! Stop it; it’s not his fault! He’s not the bad guy here!”

“Calm down, Sir!” Lucy Johnson, the head nurse, boomed out in her authoritative voice. “Either control yourself, or you will be escorted out of here. Do you understand?” she sternly warned a struggling Brian, who continued to be restrained by a couple of male nurses. 

“Brian...” Michael pleaded as he walked closer to his friend and embraced him, talking so quietly in his ear that Todd couldn’t hear their conversation. But his influence on his best friend was apparent as Brian’s demeanor slowly changed. The aggression he had displayed moments before was gradually being replaced with the same sort of numbness he had felt earlier.

Reassured that their visitor was no longer a threat to their doctor, the two male nurses released Brian as he turned to slump back down in his chair, placing his elbows on his knees as he held his head in his hands. After a few moments, he lifted his head to gaze over at the far wall before Michael sat down once more beside him in silent support and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. He peered up at Todd apologetically. 

“Todd, you know Brian’s under a lot of stress right now, and didn’t mean any harm. He’s been through a lot tonight.” 

Todd sighed before finally nodding. "Yes, I know, Michael. I understand.   
but at some point, I'll need to talk with both of you to find out exactly what happened.” Glancing down at Brian, however, he decided perhaps now was not the best time. “I’ll make sure you’re kept informed about Justin’s condition.” 

Michael gave him a grateful nod before he quietly withdrew to leave the two friends lost in their thoughts of pain and suffering. 

 

Todd walked out to the hospital parking lot and lit a cigarette. He would have loved to have had something stronger – like a good dose of whiskey or one of Anita’s pharmaceuticals. But he was on duty, so he would have to wait at least a few more hours before he could forget about all this in the pulsating beat and backroom of Babylon, losing himself in a mixture of drink, drugs, fucking and oblivion. It was his usual remedy, often tested and approved.

 

Todd could see that Brian was distraught and shaken by what had occurred. He knew Justin was important to Kinney. He had seen it. Anyone who saw them together would realize the importance of this boy to him. Everyone who knew Brian could tell that the blond twink was different somehow to the Stallion of Liberty Avenue. Brian would never have allowed a simple trick to remain so close to him for so many months; not if he was truly just a casual itch. No, this young man must be really important to Kinney. Todd had finally realized that maybe, contrary to popular belief, Brian Fucking Kinney actually had a heart, and a beautiful blond twink with the most perfect ass that had ever been viewed in Babylon had somehow managed to capture it.

 

Todd stared at the smoke rising from his cigarette. He began to remember the night he realized for the first time that Brian Kinney was not the heartless bastard that so many believed he was. 

Flashback...

"Hey, Todd! How's it going?"Brian Kinney swaggered into the backroom of   
Babylon, pulling along with him the blond twink that had become a constant presence by his side over the past month.

All the men present stared over at them with great expectation as the couple sought an empty spot in the dark room; as always, Brian’s presence was a commanding one anytime he arrived, but lately each time he was accompanied by the teenager who seemed practically attached to him by the hip, these moments became cataclysmic.

The men watched as Brian kissed the beautiful boy on the lips before turning him against the wall, pulling the boy's pants down to expose his perfect ass as the others sighed with envy and desire. Brian squirted a generous dose of lubricant onto his fingers before preparing the twink to welcome him inside. After a few minutes of preparation in which he pushed a finger and then two more into the boy’s hole – all the time kissing, biting and sucking Justin’s sensitive skin on his neck, ear and mouth – Brian withdrew his fingers and sheathed his cock with a condom before he pushed inside. The mixture of pain and pleasure caused Justin to moan loudly as Brian thrust deeply into him, causing all the other men to burn with a frenzy of desire tinged with just a bit of jealousy.

Both were so hot together. A set of contrasts: tall and short, dark and blond, tanned skin and porcelain skin, stud and twink, experienced and innocent. They aroused the fantasy and lust of all who saw them, and this time was no different.

The trick with Todd fucked him insanely, having seemingly acquired a hunger that so far had not been quenched that evening. He pounded into him furiously as he watched Kinney fucking his twink, causing Todd to have one of the biggest orgasms he had experienced in recent years. He continued to be lost in the powerful orgasmic sensations as he watched Justin trembling with pleasure in Brian's arms.

As Todd caught his breath moments later and watched his trick discarding the condom, he pulled his pants up with the intention of leaving when he felt the unmistakable presence of Brian Kinney by his side, accompanied by his blond boy.

"Fun night?" Brian drawled mockingly.

But Todd did not answer in kind. "Very! And yours?" He asked hopefully, wondering why this god of a stud was saying anything to him. Brian normally gave him no more attention than a casual greeting upon entering the back room. On the rare occasions that he had, however, sex had been involved. 

He recalled the first time he had given Kinney a blowjob, one that had been appreciated enough that Brian had actually invited him back to his loft, where he had relentlessly fucked him all night long and had lived up to his well-deserved reputation. That had happened five years ago on his first night at Babylon.

The second time was when Brian had discovered through Vic that Todd was a doctor, and had sought him out here at the club with the express purpose of finding someone trustworthy enough who could supply him with the proper drugs of choice that wouldn’t mess with his head. Being the accommodating person that he was, he had introduced him to Anita, a drag queen who went by the name of Paul and was a nurse with him at the hospital. For his efforts, Brian had thanked him by providing him with the most fantastic fuck he had ever experienced in Babylon’s backroom while Kinney was in the throes of an ecstacy-induced high. 

The last time Todd had attracted Brian’s attention was a little over two years ago when Kinney had asked him to help Michael in his quest to become more of a top, which had proven to be a major disaster when Michael - after a clumsy, unsuccessful attempt at fucking him – had collapsed beside him, weeping and regretful, wailing that he did not really even want to be a top. He confessed to him that all he had really wanted was to please his best friend, and be closer to him; to feel what he felt as a major stallion, something that would never happen in a million years.

At the time, Todd had felt so sympathetic toward Michael that he had agreed to meet him later that night in his and Emmett’s apartment, where he had provided the proper amount of ‘comfort’ to him in the form of allowing him to try once more to demonstrate his topping skills. This time, Michael had managed to be more successful, allowing him to feel just a bit more confident in his abilities and enjoy his brief foray into being a top rather than a bottom. Brian – discovering the extra effort Todd had put into his friend’s wish – had thanked him afterward by giving him the best fuck of his life at the loft in a haze of whiskey and drugs. 

Now, it seemed that for the fourth time, Brian Kinney was about to devote a small amount of his time to him once more, and it made his heart beat furiously in anticipation of what he might have in mind. 

"My night is fabulous!” Brian responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “But it could be even more fabulous for YOU,” he added with a smirk, as Todd’s heart continuned to thump in his chest. “You want to have even more fun tonight?" Brian asked, looking at him like a snake ready to attack its prey and inject him with his poison. Todd felt very willing to take every drop of poison that Brian could provide to him, too.

"I'm known for being unable to reject a fun moment." Todd hoped that Brian might be offering not only one ‘moment,’ but several. Without waiting for Kinney’s response, he hurriedly began to finish getting dressed, because his intuition told him that if he wasn’t prepared to leave on a moment’s notice, his chance would quickly disappear. 

"Do you know Justin?" Brian asked as he pulled Justin a little closer to Todd. The teenager watched the the interaction between the two older men curiously.

Todd couldn’t help admiring the boy’s almost ethereal quality and just plain beauty as he replied, “No...I have not had the pleasure." He emphasized the last word as he shook hands with the young man, marveling at the softness of his skin and wanting to feel much more than just his hand. 

Justin grinned for a moment – appearing to brighten the backroom of Babylon instantly and almost rivaling the strobe lights out on the dance floor – before he responded, “Hi, Todd! How are you?” The boy's voice was surprisingly deep nand strong, making Todd’s pulse race over the sensual tone he heard.

"I’m fine. Thanks for asking. And you?" Todd was enchanted by Justin’s beauty. The golden hair and blue eyes were mesmerizing, but nothing compared to his perfect mouth, strong and smooth face, and soft, delicate hands with a firm grip; the slender body was perfectly suited to him. And his ass. Fuck. That desirable ass that he had seen earlier when Brian had fucked the boy was incredible. But not so incredible as the large bulge presently apparent in the boy’s pants, making him almost salivate at the thought of experiencing all the pleasure it could no doubt provide him. Holy shit, he couldn’t help thinking. No WONDER Kinney’s so attracted to him. He’s a lucky bastard, he couldn’t help thinking enviously. 

"I’m great!" Justin replied with a radiant smile, but it was clear the boy wasn’t quite sure what Brian had in mind as he peered over at Brian curiously. 

"Okay! Enough with the pleasantries,” Brian announced impatiently. “Let’s get on with it,” he interrupted, unable to wait any longer as he reached out to grip Justin’s wrist. 

Todd looked questioningly at Justin and Brian, hoping the brunet would tell him what he intended. He didn’t have long to wait.

“Seeing as how I am responsible for the lad’s education regarding the delights of gay life, I need your cooperation and experience to help Justin here advance to the next level,” he explained to Todd with a smirk, causing Justin to turn beet red. 

Todd grinned, intrigued. “Brian, I strongly believe in young people obtaining a well-rounded education.” He couldn’t wait to see what Brian meant, especially when it came to this amazing boy standing next to him. “What did you have in mind?”

“I’d like you to help me educate young Justin here back at the loft. Interested?” 

Was he kidding? He wanted him to come back to the loft so Justin could fuck him? That did not require any thought at all. He wondered briefly why Brian would want to encourage Justin to experience being a top, but he began to understand his reasons. He knew the two of them had been seen together for over a month now, and if the rumors were correct, this boy was unique to Kinney. But Kinney apparently thought that Justin needed to experience other men and in different ways. The boy apparently was too dependent on him, and that might start to worry him and tarnish his reputation. Because no matter how cute and adorable the boy was, he could never see Brian actually developing any sort of long-term relationship with him. 

Todd was told later by Justin that Brian had wanted him to fuck the best bottom there was on Liberty Avenue for his initial debut as a top. At first, Justin had protested that he didn’t want to fuck Emmett, since they were friends. But Brian had assured him that even with Emmett’s talents as a bottom, the best bottom of all, in fact, was him, and that was why he had been chosen that night for Justin’s initiation into topping another man. 

The trip to the loft was a preview of things to come for Justin. As he sat in the backseat with Todd, the man eagerly undid the blond’s pants and sucked in a breath as he finally was able to openly admire the size of the boy’s cock, which was surprisingly long and thick for someone so relatively slender. Thinking how lucky he was, Todd eagerly grasped the hot shaft and sucked on it in earnest until Justin erupted deep inside his throat.

Todd wasn’t the only one affected by this boy, however. Brian – who had stolen frequent glances at the backseat through the rearview mirror – had to shuffle in his seat to readjust his pants that had become uncomfortably tight the longer he heard the sounds coming from the two men behind him. He smiled, however, reassured that he had chosen the right man for the job this evening. 

Brian parked the Jeep and ushered the two men into his building, steering them toward the elevator that would take them up to the fourth floor. As they ascended in the car toward his loft, the three continued touching, mouths and tongues finding other mouths and tongues; their desire, lust and excitement quickly rising. 

As soon as the loft door was slid open and the three men walked inside, Todd found himself being pushed against the cold metal as Justin attacked his mouth and began to remove his clothes at the same time Brian kissed and sucked Justin’s neck, managing to remove his clothes as well. Todd was taken aback, not expecting the boy to be so domineering, but to him it was a welcome surprise.

Brian quickly coralled the two naked men toward his bed as they continued to play. Soon Todd and Justin were lying on the bed face-to-face as Todd began to kiss and lick the flawless, ivory skin, forging a trail from Justin’s neck, chest, and abdomen as Justin squirmed in reaction to his ministrations. 

When Todd reached Justin’s penis, he found it already leaking with pre-cum as he took it into his mouth, sucking on it strongly and savoring the boy’s intoxicating taste, Justin’s moans of surprise and excitement filling the air as he reacted to the pleasurable sensations Todd’s tongue and mouth were giving him. 

Brian soon joined the two men after undressing, kissing Justin and offering his cock to the teenager who began to suck on it eagerly as if his life depended on it.

Todd licked the shaft of Justin's cock until the head was pressed into his mouth, and kept swallowing around it and taking him deeper until it reached the back of his throat. Todd could see that Justin was about to cum again as did Brian, who motioned for Todd to stop sucking the boy and position himself instead on his hands and knees.

Brian handed the lubricant to Justin, who poured a generous amount of the gel onto his fingers before he began to prepare Todd, massaging his pucker and inserting a finger gently inside. The first finger was followed by another as he scissored the two digits apart to help relax his muscles. 

Brian held Justin’s hand to help him guide another finger inside Todd’s to push deeply enough to reach his prostate, making him shudder and groan with pleasure. Emboldened by the sounds escaping Todd’s mouth, the boy continued to repeat the movement a few more times until Todd started begging Justin to penetrate him and fuck his brains out.

Brian sucked on Justin's penis, causing it to harden further. Kinney slid the condom onto Justin's cock as the blond initially penetrated Todd, gently and slowly, but then began to accelerate his movements as he repeatedly hit his prostate.

While Justin fucked Todd, Brian licked Justin’s pink opening, biting the delicate skin and licking all the way to his balls before returning to his hole, licking and inserting his tongue into the teenager's body, seeking the deepest point possible, causing his young lover to beg him to fuck him. 

Justin increased his movements, thrusting in and out of Todd’s body as Brian encouraged him. Todd took advantage of all the action going on around him, riding the wave of his pleasure. Justin turned out to be a good top; Brian has taught the boy very well. He was fucking Todd as expertly as any other man who was twice his age, and as if he had three times the experience. Todd was enjoying the experience, and sincerely hoped that Justin did not adopt the same policy of non-repetition that Brian had.

Brian grabbed the lube and squirted it directly into Justin's hole, introducing his finger inside to brush against the young man’s prostate and making him moan in reaction. Another finger soon joined the first as Brian prepared him. Sheathing his penis with a condom moments later, he entered his young lover’s body, setting the pace of his and Justin’s fucking.

The three men began to move in sync, their groans increasing as their pleasure mounted.

Todd had participated in other trios before, but none had been as hot as this one. He observed Brian embracing Justin's body as the young man leaned back and captured Brian's lips in an intense and passion-filled kiss. Todd could see the desire and the sexual chemistry between the two, but he could also glimpse flashes of feelings. He watched as Brian intertwined his fingers with Justin’s, providing him with a clear demonstration that it was not just sex between them, but something more that united the two.

Brian accelerated his movements, causing Justin to do the same. Todd felt his orgasm approaching, and began to masturbate, reaching his climax and letting out a long moan. Justin followed almost immediately, groaning and falling on Todd’s body, panting and trying to stabilize his breathing. Brian thrust a few more times inside Justin's body, finding the release of his own orgasm as he pulled Justin’s body to his and their lips met hungrily for another kiss. 

Gradually, Justin slid out of Todd, holding the condom until he could discard it in the trash receptacle next to the bed as Brian soon did the same as he withdrew from Justin. Afterward, the two lay in bed until Justin slowly fell into a peaceful sleep.

Todd rose from the bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower before leaving. Feeling more relaxed afterward, Todd returned to the bedroom to find Brian holding Justin in his arms as he methodically ran his fingers through his young lover’s blond hair while he slept peacefully beside him. 

Todd looked over surprised at the scene. He had known Brian for some time, but had never imagined that Kinney might be able to demonstrate such an outright gesture of affection like that. He witnessed something he had never imagined seeing before. It was obvious that Brian cared about someone other than himself, and was perhaps not the self-absorbed prick that everyone thought he was. 

Brian – noticing Todd had returned – flashed him a warning look, making him realize that he was seeing something he should not. Todd averted his gaze, embarrassed, before turning to search for his coat. 

Finding it on a table near the kitchen, he noticesd photo sitting there of Brian with a baby in his arms, gazing at the child in a loving manner. Todd guessed that the baby must be Brian's son. The fact that Brian Kinney was a father had dominated a lot of the conversation on Liberty Avenue in recent months. Now, Todd had proof of Kinney’s child as he stared at the man cradling a baby in his arms, and the image further solidified his impression that night that Brian Kinney did have a heart and was capable of love.  
End Flashback...

 

Present time....

Todd stubbed out his cigarette with the toe of his shoe and went back into the hospital. He entered the employees’ breakroom, finding Helen Roberts eating a big slice of chocolate cake and drinking from a coffee mug.

"You want a piece? I’ll put it in the microwave for you,” she kindly offered.

Todd smiled at her. After all the tumultuous emotions displayed earlier and the information that he had inadvertently learned regarding the relationship between Brian and Justin, he could use a big piece of chocolate cake. So he nodded at her gratefully as she rose from her chair to retrieve a large slice and placed it in the microwave for a few seconds to heat it up. 

Walking over to where she stood when he heard the microwave beep, Todd took the cake on a paper plate, a fork and a mug with coffee and walked over to sit down with his friend, waiting for the interrogation that he assumed would follow. He did not have long to wait.

"So, tell me, where do you know that kid from?" Helen cut a generous piece of her slice and slid it into her mouth, smiling at her friend as she eyed him curiously.

"Why do you think I know him?" Todd took his usual defensive posture whenever any matters about his private life came to light.

“Come on!” she gently chided him. “I’ve known you long enough to notice the look of complete shock you had on your face when you were able to get a closer look at him. You know him from somewhere.” 

Todd had made no secret of his sexuality in the hospital. He knew that Helen was aware that he was gay, and that she had a vague notion of his extracurricular activities. After all, working in a hospital with long, stressful hours, where the slightest mistake could wind up affecting someone else's life, was often alleviated with a consistent round of gossip. And when one of the targets of such gossip was one of the most competent and best medical professionals in the emergency room, the news spread quite rapidly like a brush fire. 

Todd sighed in resignation; he didn’t feel like being deceptive, anyway. “The Diner on Liberty Avenue,” he finally told her, knowing there was more to it than that, but not feeling the need to divulge all of it. “He works there." Well, it was almost true. After all, the first time he had seen Justin, the boy had been accompanied by Michael and was talking to Debbie.

The boy himself had seemed to be the favorite thing on the menu that day, however, as every gay male in the place appeared to be eating him up with their eyes. It was too much of a temptation apparently for anyone to resist – that mixture of lust and teenage innocence, complete with an amazing ass and a considerable package in front – that had stirred their basal instincts, including himself. It had made him hard immediately, as if he were a damn Pavlov dog. Only a week later, when he had seen the young man dancing with Brian Kinney in Babylon, did Todd begin to notice the strange connection between the teen and the Supreme Top of Liberty Avenue.

"So the boy is gay! Well, that explains a lot," Helen exclaimed quietly, leaving some unspoken questions in the air as Todd refocused his attention on her. But Todd knew what she was trying to do; she was trying to pique his curiosity as well. He knew that Helen was shrewd and perceptive if nothing else, and he had to admit he was rising to the bait. 

"What do you mean by that?" He finally couldn’t help asking, as Helen looked over at him triumphantly. Todd cringed inwardly, knowing he had been caught. He knew that his friend had learned one of the prime rules of queers – that nothing got their attention more than some potential juicy gossip – and he was no different. 

Helen smiled. “Well, according to Linda, the ER receptionist, paramedics found the boy in the garage of the Marriott Hotel, and when they reached him, that handsome brunet who was in the waiting room later was hunched over him and cradling him to his body, crying. Apparently, it was the boy's senior prom, and something had happened during the dance that had angered some other guy, and he had taken a baseball bat and hit him in the head with it out in the garage...” Helen revealed, shuddering at the thought that someone could do that.

"Justin," Todd murmured, his face a grim mask.

"What?" Helen asked, confused.

"Justin is his name," Todd confirmed, his voice slightly brusque. He was getting a little annoyed with his friend persistently calling Justin ‘boy’ or ‘kid.’ Justin was NOT just a kid. He was an amazing person that could now be dying because of an idiot who had been angry with him. Todd was almost sure that Justin’s assault had been the result of some homophobic idiot. He knew what that was like; he had been there. 

Perhaps for that reason, it annoyed him deeply how that she was addressing him so trivially, and as much as he liked Helen, he would not allow her to continue referring to him simply as "the boy.” Justin was much more than that.

"Well... Justin, right?" she replied at last as Todd nodded. “Okay, so where was I? Ah, yes! So when the paramedics arrived, they found the other man holding him partly in his lap. They also said there was a girl in a near hysterical state nearby. The boy who attacked Justin was lying a few feet away, moaning. It had to be the guy, since a baseball bat was next to him. It seems that the guy with Justin struck him with the bat right after he had attacked the ki...Justin; at least that’s what I heard the guy told them. No one knows exactly what happened for sure. But the boy with the broken knee was taken to a private clinic and the guy who had been holding onto Justin said almost nothing in the ambulance on the way here to the hospital. He just held his hand. Oh, they think at one point he might have whispered something like, ‘Sunshine,’ but they weren’t sure.” She frowned. “Why would he say that? It was the middle of the night.” Having told Todd all she knew, Helen peered over at her friend with interest, apparently waiting for him to fill in the blanks of her story.

Todd hesitated, determining how much he should tell her, before he finally commented, "Brian, the guy who came in with my patient, is not a relative. Why was he allowed to ride in the back of the ambulance with him?" He had to admit he was intrigued by a flagrant violation of their transport rules.

The nurse smiled. "He told the paramedics that he was his partner." Helen realized that Todd wasn’t going to provide her with much more information. However, she now knew the beautiful brunet's name, as well as the blond boy’s. She and Linda had tried to pry the information out of the handsome man without any success, but now, thanks to Todd, she had some more information to give her friend. 

Todd tried to contain his amazement over what Helen had said. That last part was something he had never expected in a million years to hear. Justin Taylor was Kinney’s partner? He would have thought Brian Kinney would be the LAST person to ever have that sort of serious relationship, especially for someone who always insisted on a one-fuck only policy when it came to tricks. Although he had been one of the very few who could count themselves lucky that Kinney did occasionally do repeats. 

In a way, Todd was not totally surprised to hear the admission Brian had made to the paramedics; he knew it was more than just a ruse in order to ride in the back of the ambulance, because all of Liberty Avenue knew that Justin was unlike other man Kinney had associated with, something that all the other fags in Pittsburgh envied. 

Todd finished his cake and coffee, and rose to place the plate, fork and mug into the sink. The events of that night had prevented him from catching some much-needed shut eye, so after placing a kiss on Helen’s cheek and thanking her, he headed toward the dormitories where doctors could catch a nap or rest up for a while before resuming their shift.

As he lay on one of the cots a few minutes later, his heart was filled with anger over the realization that Justin Taylor had been the victim of a homophobic attack. It was something he had not felt in a long time. Painful memories of thirteen years ago made Todd shudder, and he wondered if there would ever come a time when people could live peaceful lives, and have the right to be who they were and love whomever they want.

Exhaustion led Todd to a state of semi-consciousness as he closed his eyes, the painful memories of his past filling him with sadness. 

Flashback...

Richard Turner was the most beautiful boy in school. He was the quarterback of the football team, the idol of the high school campus, and was desired by all the girls who attended St. James Academy. But Rick had a secret that only Todd knew. The desired quarterback of the football team – the one who oozed sensuality and masculinity – was also gay, and Todd was his boyfriend.

 

The two boys were in their last year at St. James. Todd had been accepted at Carnegie Mellon to study medicine, and Rick had won a scholarship to play on the football team at the University of Pennsylvania, where he planned to study physical education.

The couple took pains to spend as much time as possible during their last few months in high school, planning to stay in touch once they were in college. After graduating from their respective schools, they wanted to relocate to San Francisco and live together, creating a family.

Todd had high hopes for his future and was confident in his boyfriend’s devotion to him, even though Rick went out with girls and pretended not to know him when he was with the other players of the football team. Todd realized that Rick could not openly acknowledge his relationship with him. Rick had to hide and pretend that he were interested in girls, or he could risk losing his scholarship. In addition, his parents would never accept his sexuality, and St. James was not the ideal place for any gay boy to be ‘out and proud.’ Todd also remained anonymous and did not speak to anyone who was gay, because he feared the reaction of his peers and teachers, and especially his parents.

Classes were over and only a few weeks remained until final exams when Todd's world was turned upside and became a nightmare. Patty Campbell, one of the school’s cheerleaders, and one of the many girls in love with Rick, announced to the whole school that she was pregnant with Rick’s child, and that she and the quarterback of the football team would be getting married after graduation.

Todd did not believe Patty. He was convinced that the girl was lying, and he was determined to confront his boyfriend and find out for sure the next day after football practice. 

Standing in front of his football teammates, Rick was unable to admit who he really was, and wound up accusing Todd of being crazy and a perverted liar. Feeling the heat of the others upon him, he told Todd that he was no more than a hysterical and pathetic faggot who was constantly chasing after him and offering his ass to him. Rick finished by telling Todd that he loathed people like him.

Todd was devastated. He felt betrayed, dirty and used. He never imagined that Rick would treat so badly. But the worst was yet to come for him, despite his humiliation he felt.

When Todd returned home that afternoon after leaving the training camp – walking home because he did not want to face the disapproving stares of the other students on the bus - Rick and his best friends, Chuck Givens and Brad Hamilton, were waiting for him, hiding behind a tall row of hedges. 

Before he could utter a surprised sound, Todd had his clothes ripped off, and was beaten and raped by all three boys. Rick eventually hit him on the head with a large, jagged rock. Before losing consciousness, he heard Rick telling him to not open his mouth about what had happened, or they would return and finish what they had begun.

A wounded and bloody Todd was found by some other students, and was taken to Allegheny Hospital, where he emained in a coma for two days due to his head injury. When he awoke – frightened and heartbroken beyond words – he told the police he didn’t remember anything about the assault, or who had attacked him. 

His parents blamed him for what had happened after they learned about the rumors regarding his sexuality that were being spread throughout the school. Students claimed that Todd had been chasing athletes, offering to have sex with all of them to the horror of his parents, and to his utter dismay, they believed the others and not him. 

Upon leaving the hospital, Todd moved in with one of his aunts, who took care of him until he recovered from his injuries. His parents broke off all communication with him, and they had never spoke to him since, accusing him of bringing shame to the family.

Todd continued to keep quiet about everything that had happened. He finished his degree and enrolled in Boston University’s Medical School to further his studies, thanks in large part to an inheritance from his grandfather. He graduated with honors, and initially thought he would remain in Boston and practice, but he was forced to return to Pittsburgh when his Aunt May, who had protected him and taken care of him when he had most needed it, became bedridden due to diabetes. Todd returned to Pittsburgh to help his cousin Sarah to take care of her mother. He had returned five years ago, and since then his life had been divided between his work in Allegheny Hospital’s ER, caring for his aunt, and prowling the backroom of Babylon.

He never saw Rick or any of his other attackers. He broke off all contact with his family, except for his Aunt May and Sarah, acquiring a few new friends from the country club where he occasionally visited to play golf, and keeping in touch with a few schoolmates who had remained faithful and supportive to him after the assault.

He lived according to his own rules. He enjoyed fucking with whomever he wanted to in his free time, whenever he wanted and wherever he wanted. He no longer believed in love. For him there was only sex. Casual sex without commitment. His heart remained firmly guarded and protected, and it would never be given to anyone else.

He hated being afraid sometimes. He still blamed himself for having kept quiet about what had happened and who had done it. But he was realistic, and knew that no one would ever condemn the three children of the wealthiest families in Pittsburgh, especially for having attacked a fag. In fact, he knew no one would believe him, especially after so long.

Todd knew that life went on, no matter what, and he had stopped whining over what had happened to him long ago. He was the best at what he did now, whether in the emergency room or behind the scenes at Babylon. He belonged only to himself, without giving a piece of himself to anyone else.

But when he saw something like what had happened to Justin Taylor, Todd remembered the hate, the pain and the fear. The revulsion against intolerance and injustice dominated his thoughts, causing tears to fall down his face.

Exhaustion began to overtake him at last, causing him to plunge into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

About an hour later, Todd was summoned to attend to another patient who had been brought to the emergency department, and his shift began anew. He continued doing his job without having time to see how Justin was doing.

At the end of his shift, however, Todd was informed by Helen that Justin had come through surgery satisfactorily. However, he was still in a coma, and the doctors could not guarantee if he would ever wake up or even survive.

Todd felt sad for the boy, and before leaving the hospital he sought out Brian and Michael, discovering that Justin's mother had also arrived, along with some of Justin and Brian’s friends who were there anxiously waiting for news.

He took a few minutes to speak with Justin's mother, explaining the procedures that had been performed earlier in the emergency room, while Brian sat nearby, still numb with shock and unresponsive as the others peppered Todd with questions about Justin’s condition. Only Michael was able to get Brian to occasionally utter one-word responses when he spoke directly to him, but other than that it was as if no one else existed in the waiting room. 

 

He also spoke with the police on the way out about Justin’s condition, but what little he knew about the actual incident had already been ascertained from a young woman who was also in the waiting room. He learned that she was Justin’s best friend, and had apparently been the same girl who had been in the garage right after the assault; the one that Helen had mentioned earlier. 

 

Finally, after talking to Michael and Emmett- who had arrived with Justin’s group of friends earlier – and assuring everyone that the doctors would do everything they could to help Justin recover, he finally bid them goodbye and left, still not certain if the boy would live or die, but knowing that Justin had family and friends who were hoping he would wake up and fully recover.

 

The sadness that dominated Todd’s heart was immeasurable. Sadness not only for Justin, but mostly for himself. He wiped the tears away that insisted on falling as he drove toward Liberty Avenue. He would go first to the baths, and then to Babylon, where he could hide his pain and go back to being what he was... just a shadow behind the scenes.

THE END.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for your reading. I'll be very happy with your comment, too.


End file.
